About: Every point in space occurs once at each moment of time. N O W I S W H E N W E A R E (the stars) is a new interactive theatrical installation that pushes this idea to its literal extreme. Through a darkened space, an unseen narrator guides each participant through a personal and collective cosmos. Five thousand precisely programmed points of light—inspired by seeing the Milky Way for the first time, Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Room, and so much more—respond to each individual. Through movement, narrative, and the room’s enveloping sound, N O W I S W H E N W E A R E (the stars) invites viewers to explore traces of light in themselves and the universe. Part meditation, part exploration, the stars draws visitors into a hyper-focus of the present. The stars traces every decision that you have ever made as a contributing factor to being ‘here’ and being ‘now’. Nearly 4,000 individually reactive LEDs and a 496-channel sound system envelop each participant. The stars is an invitation to engage and become an active explorer – discovering the traces of yourself in light, the universe, and those who have been here before us.

Production History: N O W I S W H E N W E A R E (the stars) premiered at BAM in November 2022.

N O W I S W H E N W E A R E (the stars) was produced with Los Angeles Performance Practice. Development of (the stars) has been possible with support from The Brown Arts Institute, Carleton College Arts and Technology Initiative, The Simons Foundation and Science Sandbox, The Onassis Foundation, The Sundance Institute Interdisciplinary Program, and Eliko Industries.